


Inhuman: Wilder

by aquamarine718



Category: Dystopian society - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Gen, Government, How Do I Tag, plz forgive me this is my first story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22873768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquamarine718/pseuds/aquamarine718
Summary: Your classic dystopian society.What would happen if you met an illegal person on the street? Would you turn them in or would you help them?Evelyn has lived in Chicago for her whole life in the year of 2143, and she has no reason to believe that she isn't happy. Then, she meets Elijah who makes her question her comfortable life, and makes her start to believe there may be something beyond the simple life she has lived for the last sixteen years.
Kudos: 1





	Inhuman: Wilder

Evelyn had woken up the same way every day for the last 4,442 days. And today would be no different. Ever since World War IV in 2143, the government had done its best to prevent the disaster that near wiped out half of the world’s population. Unsurprisingly, the best method of prevention had been a complete lockdown of the United States border, and strict regulation of the boundaries of major cities. So now, it was more like the Un-United States of America. Their last method to prevent uprisings was a uniform society. Every day was the exact same routine for citizens like Evelyn: Wake up to an alarm, get dressed in the required school uniform or business suit, take the automated train to their destination in downtown Chicago, attend to their daily activities from exactly 9 am-5 pm, then come home on the train, have dinner, study, and sleep at exactly 10 pm. And citizens were content with this, Evelyn included. This method was the only one that she and her family had ever known, and they were all in mutual agreement that it was for the best. However, there were people who didn’t believe in this way of living, and they had managed to escape and live outside of cities’ borders. They were known as Wilders, and were ordered to be killed onsite, since they were prone to starting riots and uprisings.

Evelyn was right in the middle of her morning routine, eating her usual, boring breakfast of a banana and toast, when she saw something unusual outside. An unfamiliar boy was strolling down the street without a school uniform. Normally, at this time, the streets were deserted, and they would be still for at least twenty more minutes. Why was he outside? And without a school uniform, no less? Didn’t he have school? She grabbed her jacket and ran out to talk to him, meeting the sting of the cold winter air at the threshold of her house. She skidded to a stop in front of him, and grinned at his surprised face. 

“Hey, I saw you on the street. What’re you doing out here? It’s cold, and you’re supposed to have your uniform on. Ya know, you could get arrested if someone sees you this early,” she warned, slightly out of breath.

He smiled brightly at her, and she was slightly dazed by the light glinting off of his pearly whites. “Oops, sorry. I didn’t know. I’m new here. Name’s Elijah. I just moved from Toronto over the weekend. Let’s just say that things are... a  _ lot _ different there.” He stuck out his hand, and Evelyn stared at it for a few seconds before finally grasping it. 

“I could show you around after school if I can get a note from the principal. For now, why don’t you come into my house for a few minutes? It’s so cold out here, and I can help you get registered at school later,” she offered.

He flashed his blinding white teeth again. “I’d love to! Thanks!” He followed her into the house, where her parents were waiting at the door, watching her curiously.

“Hey Mom, Dad. This is Elijah. He just moved from Toronto, and I offered to take him to school and show him around after. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” her father said, “Just be sure to get home by 7 pm.”

Evelyn gave him a thumbs up and grabbing Elijah’s arm, she darted out the door.

During the short walk to the train station, there was a comfortable silence between the two, which was strange since they had just met. Elijah was the first boy she had ever brought into her house, and that was a big step for her, even though he was a complete stranger. 

The train puffed to a stop right as they arrived, and they climbed on. Since they were on the earlier side, the car was almost deserted, so they were able to stretch out comfortably on the seats.

“I’ve never met someone quite like you. Tell me something about yourself. I think we could become really good friends,” said Evelyn, leaning towards him.

He leaned forwards so he was almost whispering in her ear. “Well... hmmm… I’m not interesting, but I feel like I can trust you with my biggest secret. You have to SWEAR that you won’t tell anyone! We could both get killed if you tell a soul!”

“Yes, I swear!! Now tell me!” she said excitedly.

He shushed her quickly before he glanced around uneasily. Elijah leaned even closer to her. So close that she could feel his breath fanning her face, and she could see flecks of gold in his caramel eyes. “The government… It’s not what you think…” he whispered almost inaudibly, “They killed both of my parents and they almost got me too. They aren’t the good people you all make them out to be. They don’t care about us at all. Only themselves. Every citizen is just a piece in their little game they made up to brighten their sorry little lives.” His face warped into an ugly face of disgust as he mentioned his parents’ murderers.

She drew back, shocked at his words, just as the door to their car slammed against the wall with a bang and soldiers swarmed into the train. She looked at Elijah confused and fearful, and the lack of surprise on his face told her all that she needed to know.

“You… you were expecting them to come?” Evelyn said slowly, as they grabbed him roughly and pushed his cheek against the frigid glass of the train car, handcuffing his hands behind his back. He only nodded. “Why do they want you? Do you have something that they want?” she asked. Then, it hit her. The reason why he didn’t know how life in the city worked. Why he wasn’t wearing a school uniform. Why he was so fearful to speak his secret. “Are you… a Wilder?” His silence gave her his answer, and she retracted into the corner, overwhelmed by her circumstances and the scene unfolding around her. “But what you said, was it true?” A final nod as he was pushed roughly out of the train by the soldiers. However, one stayed behind to talk to her.

“Hello, I am Soldier Number 3378. I have a couple questions for you. What has he told you?”

“Nothing much, since I just met him today. He said he just moved from Canada and the government… I mean… ummmm… that’s all.” She mentally slapped herself for lying on his behalf, but there was something about the soldier’s tone that made her not want to tell him everything. The soldier narrowed his eyes at her unfinished statement, but Evelyn was glad that he decided not to interrogate her further.

“Well, I must inform you that is not true,” the soldier said monotonously. “Elijah Murphy is a Wilder who tried to get into Chicago with his parents to start a rebellion. We eliminated his parents, but he was unfortunately able to escape. We are glad that we found him so he cannot cause any more trouble for the citizens. He is scheduled to be executed tomorrow morning, but you may see him for the last time briefly if you come with me now. I will write a letter to your school to excuse your absence, so there is no need to worry.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, “I want to at least say goodbye to him.” The soldier nodded and beckoned for her to follow him, and she trailed a foot or two behind for the short walk to the prison.

When they approached the cells, the first thing she thought was that it was eerily quiet. Not at all what she was expecting. She imagined a prison as dirty and unkept, but this building looked oddly normal from the outside. So much so that she didn’t even know it was a prison before now. 

They walked inside, and she was led down a flight of stairs and a long hallway, before stopping in front of a thick iron door. Opening it, Evelyn saw prison bars and Elijah pacing back and forth across the floor behind them. She stepped in and the soldier closed the door behind her and left them alone “for privacy.”

“Hey,” she said, and he looked up to meet her eyes. “So it’s true? You’re really a Wilder?”

“Yes, and I need you to hear me out. Don’t listen to whatever the government tells you. All they do is lie and brainwash the citizens of their city. All they care about is themselves, and they need to make people afraid of us because we threaten their leadership. They rely on fear and punishments to keep people in check, and their way of controlling the minds of the people is incredibly unfair and cruel.”

He paused to take a breath before continuing. “Don’t you see? We really aren’t that different. We’re human too. It’s unfair that they have you all so wrapped around their finger that you can’t see the difference between good and bad. They deprive you of your freedom, and you let them. You give them so much power with your fear.” By the end of his speech, his eyes were watering slightly in despair for her to see his reasoning.

“I grew up outside the border, and I was happy. I didn’t need to be scared of anything, and I could run around and play without worrying that someone would kill me. We can have that too. Let’s escape together. There isn’t much time, but we could still make it without being caught. I can even come up with a plan to get us out of this hellhole.” 

She smiled sadly at his eager attempts to convince her. How can he still be hopeful that he could escape? Doesn’t he know that there has never been a person to escape from the confines of the cells? “I don’t even know you or what’s outside the city. I’ve been happy my whole life, and I don’t want to compromise what I have for whatever is out there. We wouldn’t even be able to go, since you’re locked up here. They’re gonna have to kill you in the morning. I really can’t help you, but I would if I could. Goodbye.” She tried to seem heartless and cruel, but a tear slipped down her cheek as she turned to leave. Why couldn’t she just have no emotions? It would have been so much easier for everyone! No attachment, no pain, no suffering, and no death.

“Wait!” he called as she closed the door softly behind her. But she didn’t look back. Not once. She didn’t allow herself to. She knew that she would lose her calm facade if she saw him again. But when she got home, she knew she had failed at keeping her cool. The guilt overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t believe she had just left him there to die. But there was no way she would risk her own life for an almost stranger. This place was all she had known, no matter how unjust the government may be. She didn’t want to leave her home, even if it really was better outside of the city boundaries. Then, she realized that she may have been Elijah’s only hope for freedom, and she had been selfish to leave him to die. However, it was too late by that point. She should have saved him when she had the chance. 

It was in that moment that she realized she was no better than the government that had killed Elijah’s parents. 

Cruel.

Inhuman.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhhh please forgive me for the awful ending! What did you guys think? I may end up posting more short stories on here just because I suck at writing dialogue, so lmk if there's anything you want me to write about next!  
> What if the world actually ends up like this in 100 years?


End file.
